Family
by DevilJess
Summary: They are a family. Team Seven will always be a family. **Drabbles on Team Seven in multiple universes. Ch.2: Hearts Of Romaine - She didn't want to give him her mothers salad, but somehow they were still friends.
1. Burgers and Ice Cream

Naruto had an ice cream cone.

It had three different flavors of ice cream stacked on top of it, minty chocolate to vanilla. It looked delicious, melting and smooth in the summer sun, and normally that would be all that occupied Naruto's mind. After all, when the blond boy got a hold of food of any kind that usually occupied his focus until the food was successfully in his stomach. Given that Naruto had a short attention span, this was some feat. Knowing all this, one would assume that Naruto's ice cream cone had all of the teenagers attention, but that was not the case. How could he focus on his beautiful ice cream when he was in the middle of a theme park? Even worse, how could he focus on his beautiful ice cream when there was a gentle hand on his arm pulling him away from the clearly visible roller coaster? Naruto was yanking back, but the hand didn't yield, and he nearly spilled his cone. Letting out a low growl as he pulled the treat to a balance. He could feel a vein on his forehead swell slightly with the effort of keeping his cone upright despite the, now obnoxiously strong, hand tugging near his elbow.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto whined, not turning to look at the girl clutched to his arm. He had a suspicious feeling she wasn't paying attention to him. Naruto tried to keep his eyes on the large roller coaster, but the arm was steering him away. The blond leaned back slightly as he walked, hair on the back of his neck scratched to an uncomfortable upright position as it made contact with the collar of his black jacket. He shifted his shoulders slightly, both to try to shake off Sakura's guiding hand and to try in vain to shake off the light material. He should have known that the weather was too warm for a jacket. Naruto longed to strip down to the bright orange tee shirt he had on beneath, but there didn't even seem to be enough time to stop for that. Sakura's soft had continued to force him on and, at this point, he was losing sight of the magnificent roller coaster.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto whined again, but she didn't hear. She was a bit busy keeping up a monologue to Sasuke, the third and final member of their group. The dark boy was also being dragged behind her, but on her other side. She had grabbed his hand as he began to fall behind and she kept up a one sided conversation. She rushed on, pulling lightly on Naruto's elbow to keep him from wandering. Seriously, if it wasn't for her she was sure that they would fall to pieces. Their little triangle of friendship seemed to be held together by her will at times, between the boys fighting with each other and running off she started to wonder if she was fighting a loosing battle. So while pulling her boys along with her the pink haired girl kept up a monologue, partially made of murmuring to herself and partly talking to the two teenaged football players behind her.

"We need to find somewhere to eat, it is almost noon. Over there is a shop. No, wait, there is no food in there. Oh! Look at that coaster. Naruto, you would love to go on that, huh? We will have to come back to it. We have to come back to the marry-go-round over there. I haven't ridden one since I was a kid. I think it was when my dad took me to a park when I was about five. Right before we met. You guys, look! There is a farris wheel here too! We have to come back to this section, some of the things off my personal check-list are here. But first we have to find food, focus Sakura. Gods, I wish there was a map somewhere. I was sure that we had one, but I cant find it."

Sakura staggered as she seemed to trip slightly, the blue eyes of Naruto and dark ones of Sasuke slid over to her on their own accord. The owners barely picked up that their eyes had done this action before they decided she was fine, as she was already recovering, and slid back to their original focus. For Naruto that was behind them, at the roller coaster that disappeared behind some trees and for Sasuke it was Sakura's missing map. The dark boy barely payed attention to the rest of her rant as he searched for a good restaurant, somehow able to put one foot in front of the other with grace despite Sakura's continued tugging on his unoccupied hand. Even though he wasn't paying attention to it, Sakura's rant still played in the back of Sasuke's mind.

"Ouch! Stupid sidewalk, they should really smooth it out. I hope I didn't scuff my converse or catch my knee-highs. Gods, these things are so annoying, but they look so good with these short-shorts, I just had to wear them. Oh, I'm starting to sound like Pig! This is horrible. I hope she isn't rubbing off on me. Next thing you know, I will be correcting your guys' clothing choices, not that I can. You guys have a great sense of fashion. Hey! Look, a restaurant!"

Sasuke registered her last words and his black eyes flicked up to comb the crowd in front of him. There! A little burger joint that wasn't too crowded. Naruto would complain that there wasn't any ramen, but it would do. Sasuke felt his stomach contract at the now distinguishable scent of a well made burger wafted to his nose. He was famished after being dragged by the wild pair next to him up and down the theme park that they were still nowhere close to covering all of. Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if they would manage to cover all of it that day. The next thing he knew he was being dragged into the little burger shop. As Naruto started in he was quickly smacked over the head by the little pink haired gymnast. She hissed an insult and Naruto yelled back indigently about his ice cream cone and its protection. Sasuke just smirked and pulled on Sakura's hand until he had indirectly dragged the two into line.

They were always connected and together. That is what they get for growing up together so closely that they had three-way calls at four in the morning when one of them couldn't sleep. There was never a time that the names 'Sakura' 'Sasuke' or 'Naruto' were uttered without adding on one or more of the other two. And to be honest, team seven liked it best like that. Because none of them could survive without the other, not since they were placed at the same table in Kindergarten. Table seven became a team, and so they earned their famous nickname as Team Seven. Even when the three had gotten to high school they were almost never seen without each other. The three teens would be heading back to Konoha together the next day. They would start their final year in high school together. Then they would all go to the same college, as they were all accepted to the same colleges and they wanted to stay together. Not one of them wanted to think further then that. Because they were the infamous Team Seven, and they wanted to stay that way.

Because Naruto had the brawn to fight off those who threatened them, and Sasuke had the brain to outwit anyone, and Sakura had the heart to keep them together for better or for worse. They belonged together, and that is the way they would stay.

So Sasuke put up with the fight for the few moments before Sakura won, as she always did. Then Naruto sulked, still attached to their human chain, before they were told to order, when he forgot all about it and ordered the biggest burger meal they had with a Mt. Dew, as Sakura and Sasuke knew he would. Sakura then ordered a Garden burger and a small milkshake, as the boy's expected. Next Sasuke ordered a hamburger with extra tomatoes and a water, just how the others knew he liked it. They waited for the order, grinning and giggling in a cluster. They stayed that way until they were called to pick up their food, then they worked together to get it to a table. Over a meal of burgers they had one of a million happy conversations. Just like always. Just like forever.


	2. Hearts Of Romaine

Five years old, eyes wide as the sky and innocent as the angels who live there. At least, that's what Sakura was. She was tiny and pink, fluffy and adorable. She was doted on and loved. She had the perfect life, like a little princess. She had a father who worked hard and always had time for his little girl and a mother who was there for her and getting into the local education system. She got most of what she wanted and everything she needed. Her life was simple and wonderful and never ever would it be upset. It was stable. Her biggest worries were her lunch when her mother took her on a pick-nick to the park one sunny Friday morning.

She pulled at her mothers skirts, begging to know what the blond haired woman's plan was. Said lady smiled and laughed and held the basket just high enough to be out of the child's reach, saying words of teasing comfort. Finally, in a last ditch effort to see the contents of her mother's box, the little girl threw herself at the adult, who feigned surprise and rolled onto the grass, careful to keep the wicker weave away from her daughter's prying fingers. In a tumble of dust, grass, and joy they rolled around for a few minutes, laughter booming in bell-like peals from the little girl as the blond abandoned the basket in favor of tickling her daughter to death.

What seemed like only seconds later they were seated on the thick blanket that burst from the weave, food laid out before them. Sakura munched happily on her sandwich, tuna fish with sweet relish and melted cheddar, while her mother fixed herself a large salad. Before the woman had even taken a bite her cell phone rang and with an annoyed 'humph' sound the blond got up and moved away, reminding the pinkette not to talk to strangers. On the other side of the tree that shaded the small pick-nick she pulled out the offending machine and turned off the ringer, moving the speaker to her ear.

Sakura always did what she was told. She would never talk to strangers because she was a good girl and she always behaved herself. Her emerald eyes were watchful as she downed another large bite of her sandwich, taking in the tantalizing flavors of a mothers tuna melt. She nearly chocked when a bright voice behind her piped up. She whirled, hair like a large sash of pink fabric swinging in waves around her shoulders.

"Wha'cha eatin'?" Asked the blond boy, eyes clear and blue with his funny sounding accent. She turned up her nose at the boy squabbling in the dirt. His jeans were ragged and torn up in several places, his shirt had holes and stains. His hair was matted, though fairly clean. Scars slashed his cheekbones under small sapphire eyes set into dark tan. Or maybe that was the dirt.

"I'm not talkin' to strangers. Momma says no." She insisted, already turning away from the new boy. He was a stranger, and not to be trusted. She knew that very well. Sakura always payed attention. But to her wild shock the boy appeared on her other side, bare mud caked feet on her quilt and dirty hands poking at the covered basket.

"Got neethin' extra?" He asked with a kind-hearted grin. Sakura's eyes were wide as saucers with outrage and embarrassment. What was he doing?

In a fury and panicked state the pink haired girl grabbed his dark wrists before he could open her mothers box and flung him away, feeling his greasy-sandpaper skin against her delicate palms. "Don't touch that!" She yelled at him, high pitched voice alarmed and angry. But the boy took it all in stride, smiling easy at her from the corner of the blanket where his dirty rump had landed after her outburst.

"Sorry. Not gonna do 'gain. Just got no food." She blinked at him and he turned his attention from her to a figure approaching over her shoulder. The little pink hairs on her neck stood up and she wondered if her mom was going to yell at the little boy for getting her blanket so icky and brown. But the voice was not her mothers, it wasn't even adult. It was the voice of another little boy.

"Naruto, don't bother girls." came a scowling voice. Sakura turned to look over her shoulder, fearing the worst. Another dirty wild child or a monster. But it was neither. It was a boy. A beautiful boy. He had dark hair that stuck up near the back and swept forward with grace, falling into flat black eyes set into pale features. He wore buttons and rich clothes. Rich boy. He was a rich boy.

It was funny that they were all there, gathered at the edge of her mothers yellow blanket. The street urchin with his dirt covered features, the rich boy who somehow knew the other boy's name, and her. Sakura was somewhere in the middle, not swimming in green, but not living on the streets. And her eyes were big and widely focused on the boy behind her in shock. He gave her a disdainful look, already mastered at age six. He was already a stuck up money filled bastard and it almost made Sakura sad, or it would have if she had known. Instead she just stared.

"Why?" Whined the blond beaten boy, dragging the word out long and high to give it the correct importance. Honestly curious he bent and grabbed Sakura by the arm, clutching to his new 'friend' like a life line and sticking out a little tongue to the other boy. She was too surprised to complain as he got her red tee-shirt soiled with dirt that chipped off his wrists and dusted her denim skirt. The side he had grabbed was now thinly layered in filth, not that she had the time to mention it as the darker boy with pale features spoke.

"Girls are gross. Don't you know that?"

Sakura's jaw dropped, forming a little 'o' and her eyes grew fiery. With a poisonous green glare she hissed back at the other boy, ignoring the clinging Naruto. "I'm not gross." she insisted fuming. "I'm Sakura."

"Named after a flower." Snorted the other boy, turning a pointed nose up at her, "Weak like a flower." She opened her mouth to protest when her blond leech interrupted her.

"Oi, Teme, no i'sult Sakura-chan." The boy said, letting go of her arm. Sakura realized as the feeling came back that he had been holding on harder then she thought. With an annoyed glance she tried to move away, but Naruto had transferred himself until he was almost in her lap, craning his neck around her body to see the other boy better, and the little girl could not wiggle free. The dark haired boy looked on, his stuffy face suddenly relaxed. He looked on at the way the blond was so free with something like jealousy and reverence, but the looks was quickly gone. Sakura wasn't even sure she saw it. He was back to glares and brooding.

"Why are you liking her so much anyway?" complained the pale boy, shifting his weight from one relaxed stance to another. He glared pointedly down his nose, but it had lost some of its fire, more whinny than disdainful.

"Cuz I'm better then you." She shot back before Naruto could answer. The dirty boy made sounds of protest though, and slid carefully away from the girl. His eyes were pleading and wide, blue and sparkly.

"Naw, Sasuke-teme is be'n me bestest friend fer ever 'nd ever. He bringin' me food lots n' I get a kid to talkin' to." The blond insisted quickly, causing Sakura to blink. She had to think about his words carefully before she understood them. His strange and uncultured cadence confused her. Sasuke, who was the dark haired boy, made a sound of exasperation before explaining further.

"Naruto is my friend. I come every day to make sure he is okay and so we can play."

Sakura was impressed, and her cheeks warmed slightly as she looked on him with new eyes. His stance was guarded, not unfriendly. His eyes were protective, not angry. His voice was worried, not disdainful. And her admiration grew for the boy. Naruto interrupted her thoughts though, his brazen voice speaking in a round about way that forced her to focus.

"Sakura-chan, you gonna pl'y wit us ov'r there by them forts?" He begged, grimy fingers tugging her clothes in the general direction of the large play structure in the middle of a patch of sand. Before she knew it his hands had lifted her up and thrown her off balance, and as she whipped her arms around to steady herself another arm appeared on her elbow. Sasuke stopped her from falling.

"Don't knock her over." He commanded. He looked annoyed. Before she could assure Sasuke that she was fine or insist that she ask her mother first the blond of the group had her over at the edge to the sand pit. With a cry of joy he pulled her into the shadows below the wood fort, dodging other kids their age. Sakura quickly found herself relying on her new friend for guidance through the running children. She couldn't see Sasuke anywhere, she could barely find the blond mop of grease in front of her.

And then she was laughing. And Sasuke was on her other side, eyes rolling and mouth twitching into a tiny grin. His hand found her other one and they ran in a line through the crowd of children, Sakura and Naruto laughing with a smirking Sasuke not far behind. Sakura met some new friends, colors of all kinds flying over her eyes as Naruto greeted children who came to that park often by name and they called back to him.

For ten minutes they ran like that before her mother found her. With frightened anger in her cool green gaze she told off her daughter, who stared back in shock like all little children do. It was a week before she was allowed to go to the park again, and she was overjoyed when she found Naruto and Sasuke sitting in a patch of grass waiting for her. Naruto demanded to know where she went and Sasuke rolled his eyes and told her off for being gone. And she never missed a play time at the park again, her boys would be upset if she did.

On her sixteenth birthday she demanded they throw a private party, just the three of them, at that park at midnight. By then she knew that Naruto never really had a home or a blood family. She was there when Sasuke's parents divorced and his brother died. She knew her family was so tame, she knew there were evils outside the walls of her bedroom that she could never get rid of. But on her sixteenth birthday she told them she was their family. Naruto was speechless for once and strangely enough it was stoic Sasuke that responded, annoyed.

"You didn't know that? Tch."


End file.
